The Baptism of the Lord

This morning our worship is focused on one very specific, very pivotal, and very important scene from the life of Christ. It is so important, in fact, that it is included in each one of the Gospels (a claim that cannot even be made for the Nativity narratives). Although the story is told quite differently in each of the Gospel accounts, in each one of them this scene acts as a bridge. This bridge spans the two distinct portions of Jesus’ life: the preparations of his youth and the ministry of his adulthood. In each case, the bridge acts as both a culmination of that which came before, and an inauguration of that which was to come. And so, without further ado, let us here the story of Jesus’ Baptism as told by Matthew in chapter 3. Matthew 3.13-17 – hear the Word of the Lord.

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This story, as we noted before, is a very important scene in the life of Christ. So too is it a controversial one. The controversy is about why Jesus needed to be baptized at all. When I was a child (OK, OK, I’m still very much this way), I needed one question answered if I was going to do anything. That question is “why?” Why can’t I play in the street? Why can’t I stay up to watch the 2nd half of Monday Night Football? Why should I do this homework? Why should I eat my vegetables? Why do I have to jump through all these hoops? Why? Why? Why? And if you can’t tell me why – if you can’t give me a good, well reasoned, logical answer for why we do what we do – then I’m quite simply not interested in doing it.

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance and confession. Repentance is for sin in one’s life. Christ was sinless. So why, then, was Christ baptized? This was, and is still, a major point of contention. You can see the uneasiness as we note the way the Gospel writers craft the story. Mark, like some of us, just ignores the problem and hopes it goes away. John, like some of us, talks around the issue on his tiptoes – perhaps giving John an out when he says that he did not recognize Jesus until the dove descended on the Christ. Luke is my favorite, as he, like many of us, rearranges the facts just a little to take off some of the pressure. He moves the story of Jesus baptism after John is imprisoned and never suggests directly that John was the baptizer of Jesus.

Matthew is the only one of the four to take this challenge head on. He includes, in his telling, a conversation. It is a conversation about just this problem. And O what a conversation it must have been. John, the radical desert preacher of hellfire and brimstone, all decked out in his splendiferous fur coat, with his long flowing beard matted with gobs of left over honey, and with a few remnants of the morning’s morsels of locus legs stuck between his teeth – and Jesus, the strong and compassionate carpenter’s son, the son of God, the sinless Messiah whose way John was preparing. What a sight! What a pair! What a conversation!

It was Jesus who came to John. He went deliberately with only one thing on his mind: baptism. Jesus wasn’t going down to visit his cousin. Jesus wasn’t a follower of John who was convicted and persuaded and felt a need to repent. No, Jesus came with purpose and with determination. This is not a trip to the market just to see if there is something that looks good. No, this is a quick trip to Stacey’s to pick up that cup of sugar you need for your Christmas baking. It is intentional and it is all about baptism.

John is preaching and baptizing, baptizing and preaching when Jesus crests the sand dune along the river Jordan. Somewhat of a hush falls over the crowd as Jesus makes his way to waters edge. He told John exactly why he was there, and John told Jesus exactly why this makes no sense. “You are the Messiah.” “You are the one I’ve been preparing these people for.” “You are the son of God.” “You are the one who is greater than I, the one whose sandals I am not even worthy to tie!” “What is my baptism to the Messiah?” “It is you who should baptize me, not I baptizing you.”

Basically, John is asking the same question that I love to ask, “Why?” Basically, John is asking the same question Christians have been asking for 2,000 years, “Why did Jesus need to be baptized?” It is a legitimate question. It is an important question.
Most people’s answer boils down an issue of solidarity, and it typically goes something like this:

“With his baptism Jesus fully identified with fallen humanity. Matthew has already tipped his hand in this regard. On page one of his gospel he lists forty-two men in Jesus' genealogy, then four women with unsavory pasts. Tamar was widowed twice, then became a victim of incest when her father-in-law abused her as a prostitute. Rahab was a foreigner and a whore who protected the Hebrew spies by lying. Ruth was a foreigner and a widow, while Bathsheba was the object of David's adulterous passion and murderous cover-up (Matthew 1:1–17). These women stick out like a sore thumb; but they nevertheless formed part of Jesus' family of origin.”

“On page two, Matthew then honors the pagan magi from Persia who worshipped Jesus with their gifts. Page three brings us to his baptism. To air brush this fully human Jesus is to fall prey to something like the second-century heresy of docetism (from the Greek dokeo, "to seem or appear") that claimed Jesus only "seemed" human. Surely he couldn't have been polluted by our material existence! In trying to "protect" Jesus from a genuine human nature, we do the exact opposite of what he himself does in his baptism; instead of insulating himself from us, he fully participates with us.”

This is a fairly typical response to the question of Jesus’ baptism. It is a good response to the question. It is a true response to the question. But I am not convinced it is the best response to Jesus’ baptism. I think Jesus’ own words form the best response. Jesus says, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Or said another way, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Or said yet another way, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” What is Jesus answer? Jesus answers, “I need to be baptized because the Father requires it.”

It is difficult response to hear. It is a difficult response to accept. “But,” perhaps John said, “Why does the Father require it? It just doesn’t make sense. I just don’t understand. I don’t get it. It is illogical. Why? Why? Why?” Like little children incessantly pulling at Dad’s pant leg, or at the hem of Mom’s skirt, we want to know why! Jesus answers, “It must be done because the Father requires it.” For Jesus, it is not a matter of reason, or logic, or even of theology. It is a simple matter of obedience.

What happened when Jesus and John obeyed? The most spectacular thing happened. The heavens opened up. Those who had eyes to see saw the Spirit descend on Jesus. It was a revelation. Another epiphany if you will. It was the power of God being given to Christ. It was the authority of God invested with Christ. It was God’s anointing of God’s prophet who came that all might see clearly the perfect image of God, and that all might see perfectly the Kingdom of God.

Those who had ears to hear, heard the voice of God say, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” The affirmation of the Father’s beloved Son reverberates of Psalm 2, “You are my Son, today I have become your Father.” In this psalm it is the king speaking to his son – who himself is a king sharing in the father’s reign. In Matthew it is also the King…the King of all kings who speaks these words to his Son. This Son too is himself a king sharing in the Father’s reign and reigning in the Fathers kingdom. And yet the second half of God’s affirmation echoes the prophecy of Isaiah that Chuck read for us. “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me” – who brings me great joy. The Isaiah passage begins an extended passage known as “the suffering servant passage” that draws to a close in chapter 53 with images of the servant being “despised and rejected,” “pierced for our rebellion,” “crushed for our sins,” “beaten so we could be whole,” “whipped so we could be healed,” “oppressed and treated harshly, yet never said a word,” “condemned,” “struck down,” and “buried.” The Matthew story begins the ministry of The Suffering Servant whose life would come to an end as he too crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death, and was buried.

And so, God in all his fullness was revealed in this divine moment. It happened because Jesus obediently entered the waters of baptism. Despite a lack of understanding – despite an inability to answer the why question – Jesus was obedient. As a result of Jesus’ unquestioned obedience, the glory of God was seen in the world. The power of God was known by the world. The grace of God was given to the world. Because of Jesus’ unquestioned obedience, the work of God was able to be done in the world and the world was able to see and know God.

Unquestioned obedience is the soil out of which the church and the kingdom grow. Now I am not saying we should never ask why. We should always ask why. We should always have a good reason for doing what we do. We need to know why we worship. We need to know why we have discipleship. We need to know why we reach out. We need to know why we have Sunday night church. We need to know why do M&M. We need to know why. We must have good reasons. And the things we do must fulfill and accomplish those reason or else we ought to be doing something else that will.

Occasionally, however, we will presented with moments like this one in the life of Christ where there is no obvious reason why. Those times are most pivotal in our ministry to the world because those times require great faith. Those times require simple obedience. If the glory and the power and the grace of God are to be seen in us – if the work of God is to be done through us – we must follow with humble obedience. We must always know why, but perhaps sometimes the best reason why is, “because God requires it.” To the Glory of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.